Local transgender couple's journey to become parents through fertility help

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- As Pride month comes to a close, many people are celebrating strides made in the LGBTQ community.

One local couple is celebrating their own milestone: becoming parents.

"Right now it's, like, euphoric with the baby here, I never knew you could feel this happy," said Jassier Gonzalez, as his wife Jamie hold's their four-day-old baby boy Zael.

It's been a long journey for the couple, especially for Jassier. He grew up in Chile as a girl, but never felt comfortable.

"I would try to look as boyish as possible," he said, adding that when he thought of his future, he never envisioned himself as a woman.

"I always envisioned like, you know, growing up, getting married, but in the male role," he said.

He moved to the US and years later, in 2013 at a Latin dance club, he spotted Jamie, dancing and singing to the music.

"That right there caught my attention and then she's really pretty and I thought I want her. Then she says 'I'm not gay'," he said laughing and recalling the moment.

But Jamie admits there was an instant connection. The two became friends and then fell in love.

"It was just the person, I didn't see the sex," she said.

The couple got married three years later and shortly after, Jassier transitioned to a man. Jamie was going to love him no matter what.

"I just feel like he deserves to be happy, no matter girl or boy, who is anyone to tell him he cant do that?" she said.

But before the transition, the couple visited Dr. Jackie Guttman, a fertility doctor at RMA Philadelphia. The couple decided to freeze Jassier's eggs for IVF and then Jamie would carry the baby.

Dr. Gutmann says RMA as always worked with the LGBTQ community, and thanks to new advances in medicine, they're now helping more trans couples.

"People are people, everybody, you know, whoever wants to build their family should have the opportunity to build their family," she said.

For Jassier and Jamie, it's a dream come true.

"To finally be a whole family, we were two people forever, seven years, so now to take care of a little one is amazing, it's everything I wish for," Jamie said.

For Jassier, he says this is everything he has envisioned. The couple is sharing their story to let other couples know this is an option.

Action News has more Pride coverage this weekend.

Join us Sunday at 12:30 p.m. for a special presentation - "Philly Pride, 50 years since Stonewall", followed at 1:00 p.m. by the first-ever broadcast of the Philly Pride Parade.

For more Pride stories from 6abc, visit: 6abc.com/Pride